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Copyright by Julie Elizabeth Peterson 2012 The Thesis Committee for Julie Elizabeth Peterson Certifies that this is the approved version of the following thesis: Hitchcock and Humor: a Study in Collaborative Authorship APPROVED BY SUPERVISING COMMITTEE: Supervisor: Janet Staiger Thomas G. Schatz Hitchcock and Humor: a Study in Collaborative Authorship by Julie Elizabeth Peterson, B.A., B.S. Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of The University of Texas at Austin in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts The University of Texas at Austin May 2012 Dedication I dedicate this thesis to all those who attempt to negotiate their sense of humor with others: a most tedious, time consuming, noble, and rewarding task. Alfred Hitchcock continued his negotiations for over five decades, and for his efforts, film studies found a touch of much needed tongue-in-cheek. Acknowledgements I first discovered my love of classical Hollywood cinema when I moved to Austin, Texas in 2003 to pursue my bachelor’s in Radio-Television-Film at the University of Texas. Here, I discovered that not only were black and white films far from naïve and unsophisticated, but that it was still possible to view these films on a big screen, in 30mm, with a full audience in attendance: the Paramount, the Alamo Drafthouse, and the Dobie provided excellent programming for an aspiring cinephile year round. Next, I became aware that not only were older films amazing and physically accessible, but that legitimate careers in programming, preserving, studying and teaching classical films existed. It sounds too good to be true, but I have been immensely fortunate to find myself in the company of such programmers and scholars. Chale Nafus, Zack Carlson, and Lars Nilson are three programmers whose hard work, dedication, and endless and contagious enthusiasm have produced ongoing film series that foster an atmosphere where cinephiles can gather together to educate and stimulate one another. I am very grateful to call them both mentors and friends, and they have kept my love and knowledge of classical Hollywood cinema alive and flourishing. My advisors Janet Staiger and Tom Schatz have also been great influences. Their works on classical Hollywood have been a huge inspiration. They have shown me that film history is a both relevant and worthwhile subject that one cans study as a successful and meaningful career. Their advice and encouragement on this thesis has been invaluable.. I must also acknowledge my parents for never undervaluing the importance of a liberal arts education, for providing the financial and emotion support to obtain the education, and for instilling in me a sense of humor. v Abstract Hitchcock and Humor: a Study in Collaborative Authorship by Julie Elizabeth Peterson, M.A. The University of Texas at Austin, 2012 Supervisor: Janet Staiger “Hitchcock and Humor: a Study in Collaborative Authorship” presents three case studies that examine how Hitchcock’s humor, a critical component of his touch, fluctuates and varies in accordance with his collaborators and his creative control. The first collaboration addressed involves Hitchcock’s dealings with producer David O Selznick on both Rebecca (1940) and Spellbound (1945). By tracing each film through its initial treatments to its final screenplay, the each man’s individual contribution comes to light and explains why Rebecca lacks the humor required for the full Hitchcock touch whereas Spellbound does provide comic moments. Under Selznick, Hitchcock first established a working relationship with actor Cary Grant. The two would continue to collaborate as the years went on and made four films together in all: Suspicion (1941), Notorious (1946), To Catch a Thief (1955), and North by Northwest (1959). In each subsequent film Hitchcock’s methods of humor mesh more with Grant’s screwball persona culminating in a Hitchcock classic full of funny moments. Along with Hitchcock’s wit and Grant’s physical comedy, North by Northwest owes a debt of gratitude to its screenwriter Ernest Lehman who created the original script simply out of sketches of characters and moments. The vi third case study examines the humor in Frenzy (1972). While Hitchcock’s recent films had failed to reproduce the Hitchcock touch for an uncharacteristic lack of humor, Frenzy is laced with tongue-in-cheek action. The story was based on Arthur La Bern’s novel Goodbye Piccadilly, Farewell Leicester Square (1972) and was adapted to the screen by playwright Anthony Shaffer to create what many call Hitchcock’s return to form. These case studies reveal that the inclusion of humor in Hitchcock’s films comes about when Hitchcock has the freedom away from the pressures of the studio and studio heads to assert his creative control with the collaborators and films of his choosing, preferably collaborators whose aesthetics compliment his own, and preferably films whose genre allows for generous tongue-in-cheek. vii Table of Contents List of Illustrations................................................................................................. ix Introduction .............................................................................................................1 Chapter One: Selznick and Hitchcock: A Conflict of Interest or a Dynamic Duo14 Rebecca.........................................................................................................17 Spellbound.....................................................................................................25 Chapter Two: Hitchcock and Cary Grant: When Two Comedians Collude..........33 Suspicion.......................................................................................................37 Notorious ......................................................................................................40 To Catch a Thief ...........................................................................................42 North by Northwest.......................................................................................45 Chapter Three: Frenzy: Hitchcock's Return to Britain ..........................................67 Conclusion .............................................................................................................90 Bibliography ..........................................................................................................95 Vita.......................................................................................................................100 viii List of Illustrations (screenshots) Illustration 2.1: Cary Grant in a rag from Suspicion..............................................37 Illustration 2.2: MS of Joan Fontaine looking up from paper from Suspicion ......37 Illustration 2.3: MLS of Cary Grant looking out window from Suspiscion ..........37 Illustration 2.4: Two shot of Grant and Fontaine from Suspicion .........................38 Illustration 2.5: Two shot of Grant and Fontaine from Suspicion .........................38 Illustration 2.6: MS of Grant at dinner from Suspicion .........................................39 Illustration 2.7: MCU of Grant at dinner from Suspicion......................................39 Illustration 2.8: MLS of Grant on a bus from To Catch a Thief ............................43 Illustration 2.9: MLS of Grant and Hitchcock on a bus from To Catch a Thief....43 Illustration 2.10: MS of Grant in pile of flowers from To Catch a Thief ..............44 Illustration 2.11: MS of Grant getting whacked on head from To Catch a Thief..44 Illustration 2.12: LS of Grant hiding in boat from To Catch a Thief.....................44 Illustration 2.13: LS of Grant lying on beach from To Catch a Thief ...................44 Illustration 2.14: Front page of The Evening Star from North by Northwest ........54 Illustration 2.15: LS of Grant falling on dirt from North by Northwest ................58 Illustration 2.16: LS of Grant looking up from fall from North by Northwest ......58 ix Introduction Alfred Hitchcock began working in the movies in 1920 at the age of 21 by writing and designing title cards. In 1925, he directed his first film The Pleasure Garden, and by 1926 he found critical acclaim with his first thriller film, The Lodger. Throughout the ‘30s, his reputation flourished and successful thrillers such as The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) and The 39 Steps (1935) earned him the title “The Master of Suspense.”1 With his move to America in 1938, Hitchcock found himself in the company of studio elites and renowned Hollywood stars of whom he took full advantage to continue putting out box-office hits. Although still confined to the artistic limitations of the studio system, Hitchcock maintained a high level of control over his pictures, carefully planning every shot in preproduction and editing in camera allowing for little deviation in post-production. This involvement assured each picture would bear distinct traces of Hitchcock’s authorial presence which in turn created certain expectations audiences would bring with them to a viewing of a Hitchcock film. By placing recurring motifs and thematic elements in each of his films, Hitchcock began crafting his own brand name, and like a top-billed star, having this brand name above the title fostered ticket sales. By the ‘50s, Hitchcock’s television show Alfred Hitchcock Presents had reached a level of popularity so high any household in America with a television would be sure to know the name Hitchcock and to associate it with thriller stories
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